According to the survey, 76 per cent of adults own smartphones, up six per cent on last year and 14 per cent on 2013. In addition to being widely owned, smartphones have also become central to many people's lives.

16 per cent of respondents look at their device more than 50 times a day, while 36 per cent check it more than 25 times a day. One in ten smartphone owners check it immediately upon waking, with over half checking within 15 minutes of waking up.

Two thirds of owners use their devices while on public transport, 65 per cent while at work and almost a third while eating in restaurants. Among 18 - 24 year olds, checking is even more intensive, with 80 per cent using smartphones while on public transport and, worryingly, 20 per cent using their phone while they cross the road.

"The modern, touchscreen-based smartphone is less than a decade old, but it is more intertwined with our lives than ever," said Paul Lee, head of technology, media and telecommunications research at Deloitte. "Constant technological improvements are allowing us to delegate more and more tasks to our phones, from ordering taxis to browsing catalogues and paying for a meal."